Unaware
by LainellaFay
Summary: It never occurred to Marui that he would have a boyfriend, much less agreeing to go out with Niou while staring at the names of a couple carved into his table. Love really just caught him unaware.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis and am by no means profiting from this fanfiction.**

**Warnings: Shounen-ai (boy/boy), some mild language and some other things that might come up...**

**Note:** Canon age at the start (15) and they age as the story progresses. Time skips varies from chapter to chapter.

* * *

**~ One ~**

It all started in their third year in middle school classroom, full of laughter and chatter of their classmates. Some were snoring loudly with their heads on their desk, others were cracking like witches while drawing on the sleepers' faces. There were even those who were stuffing their faces, while others went around begging for food. Niou even surrendered his remaining rice balls to a persistent classmate of theirs. Whereas, Marui was sitting silently and still in his seat, engaged in a staring competition with his desk, or rather, with _what_ was on his desk.

"Marui," Niou said, "let's go out."

"Ya, sure," Marui mumbled back, distracted, as he was staring intensively down at the carvings on his desk: MINAMI & SHUN 4EVER! Yuck, hands off his desk. He never understood why people found the need to carve their so called never-ending love on school property.

Lost in his thoughts, Marui only vaguely caught Niou's, "Cool."

Marui blinked a few times before looking up at the Trickster, already awake from his trance, and asked, "Wait, what did you say?"

"Let's go out." There was that sly grin on Niou's face.

"And…what did I say?"

"Ya, sure," Niou repeated, with Marui's voice and previous tone; bored and nonchalant – being able to create an illusion of someone else had its perks. The bell rang, signalling the start of the next period and Niou grimaced. "Music, gross." The Trickster glanced at the stunned Marui. "I'm skipping. Meet me at the front gates after school!"

"Hey wait Niou – " Marui pushed his chair back and stood up, reaching out his hand in a feeble attempt to stop Niou, but the Trickster was already skipping out of class gleefully, not caring that he was spotted trying to skip class by the teacher.

Wait.

What…

Huh?

* * *

**Edited (10 August 2013): Just a few minor changes. Doesn't affect the plot in any way.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Two ~**

Marui didn't know whether to laugh or to whack himself across the face.

He trailed behind Niou as they swerved through the bustling streets, littered with multiple workers and students from other schools.

Marui had been anxious as to what Niou meant by the words 'go out' and could not concentrate at all during class, leading to him being picked on by his teacher and being a demonstrator for an execution in front of a class as punishment. Okay, not quite, but standing in front of the whiteboard and being made to sing _I am sorry_ to the tune of _'Baa Baa Black Sheep' _in front of the whole class was close enough.

When in reality, all Niou meant was, "Follow me to the sports store."

Really, he shouldn't have stressed over it.

.~.

Marui picked up a pack of grip tape from the shelf, contemplating whether he should get it or not, since he was there; his old one was wearing out. Niou had, much to Marui's surprise, ventured from the bowling balls, to badminton rackets, to running shoes, to swimsuits and was now squatting down in front of a particularly shiny golf club.

"Picking up another sport?" asked Marui, with his eyebrow raised. He had decided to purchase the grip tape and was now at the Trickster's side.

Niou shook his head and stood up. Marui hated the feeling of looking up at someone and his discomfort was evident on his face. Being right in front of Niou forced him to tilt his head back more. He took a step back.

"Shy?" Niou smirked.

Marui gave him a murderous smile and went to the counter.

Now holding a small paper bag in his hands, Marui waited for Niou as the other boy picked up a bunch of shoelaces, of many different colours, and placed them on the counter.

"We came all the way here and that's all you're buying?" Marui asked.

"Yup," replied Niou, shifting his weight onto one foot as he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. "Problem?"

"Yes. Your entire presence," Marui muttered under his breath. "You could have just came with Yagyuu, I bet he's immune to your quirks," he said a little louder for Niou to hear.

"Quirks? What would they be?" Niou said, feigning ignorance.

"Dragging me all the way to the damn sports store and then only buying some stupid shoelaces which you can get from anywhere else," Marui raised his voice slightly to be heard above the crowd as they left the store.

There was a glint in Niou's eyes; the one that always appeared whenever something was up.

"Normally I'd come with Yagyuu – no, he's not as immune to my quirks as Jackal is to yours – but…today's a special day." That signature sly grin appeared for the second time that day.

"I do _not_ have any quirks!" Marui protested. A pause. "Special day?"

Niou didn't answer but started to whistle instead.

"Oi Niou!" exclaimed Marui, jogging to catch up to the taller boy. Damn people with longer legs than him. "What special day? It's not someone's birthday is it? Hey!"

"We're going to miss the train if you don't speed up…" Niou drawled. Marui huffed and observed his surroundings; since when were they at the train station?

Niou rolled his eyes at the spluttering boy and grabbed Marui's wrist, pulling him through the train doors just as it shut.

"Safe." Niou released Marui and the shorter boy rubbed his wrist. "It was all due to my awesome reflexes though."

"Says who!" Marui protested. "Don't copy the way I speak, idiot."

Niou smirked, "So you admit that you constantly brag about your nonexistent abilities?"

"No I don't! I so have abilities, how dare you look down on my genius skills! This is why you're not a genius but a lame-ass trickster!"

"Yeah, right…"

"I heard sarcasm in there!"

"No shit Sherlock."

"Stop that!" Marui pouted angrily.

The train halted at a station and the doors slid open.

"Isn't this your stop?" Marui asked, when Niou did not move.

Niou made a sideward glance at the station sign. "Yes, but I'm sending you home."

That took Marui aback. "What? Why in the world would you do that?"

Niou's sly grin appeared for the third time. That had to be a new record for the year. "Obviously because we're going out."

Marui's jaw dropped and he stood rooted to the spot. "HUH?"

* * *

**A/N: So...little drabble-like chapters which would form a plot (obviously? maybe?) that I might and hopefully be updating regularly (really, don't hold my word for it.) What do you think about this? Leave me a review please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Three ~  
**

"You do know that you can't run from me, right?"

Marui stirred under his covers. His eyes snapped open and he kicked his blanket off him while screaming bloody murder; a stuffed cat flew towards the speaker's face.

"PERVERT!" Marui yelled.

Niou rubbed his ears and clicked his tongue. "Ditching school now are we? You don't seem to be sickly and dying at all for a person missing school for the past week. What a naughty boy."

"S-s-so? I'm not a goody-two-shoes like Yagyuu, I can ditch whenever I want. What the hell are you doing in my room?" Marui shouted.

"For your information, I have access to your house anytime everyday."

"STALKER! PERVERT! Get the hell out!" Another stuffed toy aimed at the Trickster's face.

"Don't get your panties in a twist – "

"I do NOT wear panties!"

" – as your boyfriend, I have the authority to take care of my supposedly sick boyfriend." Niou made himself comfortable on Marui's swivel chair. "Your mum let me in as soon as I told her that."

Marui gasped. "You _what_?"

The smile on Niou's face slowly enlarged; in a teasing manner, but Marui was too agitated to realise that.

"God Niou! Please don't tell me that you – " Marui was begging, he hated to beg, especially to the likes of Niou, it made him feel like a wimp. The way Niou didn't respond irked Marui even more. "Please tell me that you didn't just tell my mum that I turned _gay_."

"What's with that change in tone? God knows that you're not homophobic. Not when you're going out with me," Niou smirked.

Marui buried his face in his hands, wondering how he was going to face his family after this whole ordeal.

"Calm your tits, I didn't say anything." Niou threw a shirt at Marui; from Marui's own wardrobe. Marui's face brightened up immediately, and Niou grinned wickedly. "Get dressed."

"What for?"

"A date," Niou replied in a singsong tone. "I'll drag you out in your birthday suit if you don't come out within five minutes!" With that, Niou left Marui alone in his room; the red head clutching the shirt in his hands.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

* * *

**A/N: Marui, how do you even ditch school for a week? So naughty...**

**Addict: **I love Niou/Marui too! Well, duh, why else would I write about them. Silly me. But yay, another lover of this pairing :D Thanks for the review!

**mcangel1976:** Poor Marui? He's being dragged here and there by Niou isn't he? Haha. Thanks for the support!

**Reviews, favourites and alerts would be greatly appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Four ~  
**

Marui rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he looked away to the side – was that graffiti on the wall?

The girl before him fidgeted on the spot and she clasped her hands together, glancing up at Marui through her eyelashes every few seconds. Marui let out a sigh.

"Look – "

.~.

"First day back in school and you've already been called out," Yoshida Azura, one of Marui's classmates, a loudmouth and nosy guy, called out; he even added a cat-whistle at the end of the sentence. "What didya say?"

Marui flung himself down onto his chair and leaned back, so that his chair was only balancing on two legs. "What do you think?"

Yoshida pounced over to his desk and sat on it, Marui frowned. "You accepted didn't ya? You cunning little bastard. Well, she's cute, I wouldn't say hot 'cause – "

Marui sighed. "Shut up will you? I didn't accept. And get off my desk."

Yoshida clicked his tongue and jumped off Marui's desk. "This is why I hate popular guys like you, think that you are the best in the world."

Marui rolled his eyes. _'You're the one who bothered me.'_

"My my, look who decided to show up."

Marui looked up to stare right into mischievous blue eyes.

"Says the one who missed the first two periods." Marui leaned forwards, so that his chair was stable. "Ditcher," he added after a few thoughts.

"I had an appointment." Niou placed his bag down. "Missed me?"

"In your dreams."

"Hm…so not cute."

"Well excuse me for living! Plus, a guy like me shouldn't even be cute, how about calling me _cool_ instead?" Niou stared at Marui for seconds, and the corners of his lips started to twitch. "Are you laughing? You…!"

Niou placed his arms on Marui's desk and leaned forwards; his desk was just right in front of Marui's. Niou let out a laugh as he glanced up at the red head. "Heard that you got confessed to."

"Word travels fast doesn't it?" Marui ran his fingers through his hair.

"You rejected her didn't you?"

"What's it got to do with you?"

"Well, I'm your boyfriend." The grin on Niou's face made Marui want to smack him. "Unless you're telling me that you're a two-timer."

"I've never once thought that you were my boyfriend."

Niou faked a gasp. "I'm hurt Marui, how could you? To my tender and loving heart?"

"Go die." Marui flicked Niou on the forehead; the Trickster was just so conveniently there.

"Lies. You don't mean that. Not when you came to school for the purpose of seeing me." Niou sat up straight and rubbed his forehead, which was turning reddish in colour.

"Yeah…think just that… I just came 'cause I've been missing too many assignments, can't be absent for so long that I can't graduate."

"So you're saying that you don't want to be separated from me." Niou had a glint in his eyes.

"How did you get that?" Marui gaped.

"I know your hidden feelings underneath those hurtful words, Marui." Niou leaned in so close that Marui could feel his breath on his skin.

Marui moved his head away. "Now being held back a year seems so tempting. Anything to get away from you."

"Hey! Didn't we promise to go to the same high school, and be in the same class again?"

"Since when?"

"Since you agreed to be my boyfriend."

"Can I throw you into the ocean?" A vein nearly popped on Marui's head.

"Only if you're going with me."

"Sicko." There was a pause. "You're only doing this to annoy me, aren't you?"

Niou blinked as if stunned, but no change in emotion was expressed on his face.

"Then all I have to do is just wait for you to get bored."

Niou turned away.

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**A/N: I don't know, but throwing people into the ocean seems fun. Well, depends on the situation.  
**

**mcangel1976: **Glad to hear that you're laughing :D It makes me very happy. Niou seems to me as the type who wouldn't express his emotions like on his face, but yeah, he'll most probably be hurt. 'Cause he'd be experienced in not letting his true emotions be seen while dressing up as other people, like Yagyuu for instance.**  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**~ Five ~**

"I can't believe you just did that!"

Marui was fuming. Oh, he was angry alright.

Niou on the other hand, was licking the stickiness from the caramel popcorn off his fingers, acting so nonchalant that one would not suspect that he was being shouted at by an outraged teenager, until they heard said teenager.

"In a fucking movie theatre too! What the hell is wrong with your brain? What if people saw us?"

Niou remained silent. Marui threw his hands up in the air and let out a loud groan.

It had been two months since the start of their strange relationship and Niou had not made any advances other than dragging Marui out on dates and walking him home everyday. Not until today, at least. Marui was so shocked and mad that he had left the movie theatre while the movie was still playing.

"No one would have seen us," Niou finally spoke up, throwing the empty popcorn box into the trashcan.

"Oh yeah?" Marui argued back. "What makes you so sure? I clearly remember being able to see many couples making out in the movie theatre last time."

"It's not as if you've not kissed anyone before."

"Kiss? Kiss I have, yes, multiple times. Kiss a guy? Oh, hold on, let me check. Never!" Marui pointed his index finger in the air. "Even if this is a joke, this has gone too far!"

Marui took a few deep breaths and looked at Niou, nearly jumping out of his skin. Niou's eyes were stern and they stared right back at Marui coldly. He leaned forwards and Marui took a step back.

"Is that really what you think this is?"

Lost for words, Marui walked away.

.~.

Marui slammed the front door shut behind him as he entered his house. Hirato, Marui's younger brother in his 6th grade in elementary school, poked his head out of the kitchen and said, "I bet the neighbours have called the police after seeing that face of yours."

"Shut up and eat your damn food!" Marui yelled back, stomping up the stairs and into his room, not without slamming his room door shut too. Marui kicked aside some unwashed clothes as he made his way through the length of his room, throwing himself down onto the soft mattress of his bed. He covered his eyes with his hands and muttered, "Stupid Niou. Why did he have to do that?"

It wasn't just that. Marui repeated multiple questions in his mind, all of it centred around Niou. Why did Niou have to ask him out? Why did Niou have to kiss him? Why did Niou have to think that it would be funny to play around with him like that?

_"Is that really what you think this is?"_

Marui jolted upright and rubbed his eyes. The words repeated themselves over and over again, like a chant. They were accompanied with Niou's cold blue eyes from Marui's memories. Marui ruffled his hair roughly and bent over, so that his elbows were on his thighs, and let out a scream – a cry of bewilderment.

.~.

They avoided each other throughout the school day – more so on Marui's side. Niou just went along with it. However, when the final bell rang, signalling the end of school, Niou stood by Marui's desk even as their classmates slowly exited the classroom one by one. Neither of them moved. When the classroom was finally empty, except for the two, Marui zipped his bag up and stood up.

"Ready?" The first words spoken between the two of them that day.

Marui nodded, but avoided eye contact.

He followed Niou's footsteps till the lockers. That was where he grabbed the back of Niou's shirt, pulling the other boy to a halt. Niou twisted his head around and looked down at the shorter boy.

"Niou, I'm sorry."

It was so soft, and Marui immediately released Niou, but the few words lingered in the air. Niou smiled a rare smile; gentle and forgiving.

"For?"

Niou walked behind Marui and started to push him towards their shoe lockers.

Marui placed his hand on the metallic door and pushed it shut. Without taking a step, he muttered, "Have you gotten bored yet?"

Niou gave him a sideward glance and replied, "I won't."

"You will."

But Marui was glad that Niou didn't.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not satisfied with this chapter. It seemed to rush at the end. I'll fix it when I can think of a way to change it. But for now, it's staying like this whether I like it or not.**

**mcangel1976: **I'd like to think of it as Niou turning around because he couldn't keep his mask from crumbling in front of Marui. Haha. A dagger works nicely too. Glad you love the exchange between the both of them! I tried my best to uh, keep them in character (well, what I think they'd be like anyways)? Niou wouldn't slap that OC there and then, it just isn't in his character to do so, I reckon. But I can't hold promises that the stupid OC wouldn't find a random cockroach in his lunch one day :)

**Reviews will be greatly appreciated :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: It's after the Nationals Tournament and all so the third years retire from club activities to focus on their exams. But of course, both Marui and Niou are not focusing on their exams like they should, seeing that they're going out on dates instead haha. Yeah, I'm going out of track now. **

* * *

~ **Six ~**

Marui nearly dropped the stick of chocolate Pocky that he was chewing on as Jackal suddenly appeared from around the corner, a single step away from crashing into him. _"Fuck"_, Marui muttered, as a greeting to his panting doubles-partner.

"There you are! Yukimura wants us at the courts. He didn't say why, but I think it's urgent," was Jackal's reply. The words 'Yukimura' and 'urgent' strung together in his friend's speech told Marui the reason as to why Jackal was panting. When Yukimura deems something as urgent, his impatience would be unbeatable. Or, it could just be because of the lack of exercise. Marui was willing to bet on the latter. "Come on, let's go, what are you still doing standing there like a statue? I don't want to be executed on the spot by Yukimura because of my _former_ doubles-partner's tardiness!"

"There's no need to stress on the former," Marui muttered, matching Jackal's pace, which was pretty close to a jog. They couldn't run according to the school rule: no running in the hallways – hence, they settled for a walk that was close to a jog, or as Marui liked to call it, jog-walk. He reckons that it was a good name for it. Marui chomped down to the last bit of his Pocky stick and pulled out another from the box that he was holding in his hand. "We're going to be partners again in high school."

"That is if we don't cease to exist before that." Jackal eyed the box of Pocky in his friend's hand. "And gimme some of that."

Marui narrowed his eyes. "No. Get your own."

"Selfish pig," Jackal muttered, but didn't ask for more. Good, because Marui wasn't going to give him any.

.~.

Kirihara stood on one end of the court, his regular's jacket hanging on his shoulders; a poor imitation of Yukimura and his leadership. Marui wanted to laugh out loud at his underclassman's face, but refrained himself for Yukimura was barking orders at each of them. It would be barely a few months before they graduated and moved up to high school, it appears that Yukimura wanted them to give Kirihara a farewell match. Or, it could have been Kirihara's idea to try and trash them all at their game while they were out of practice, Marui didn't know. Marui roamed his eyes around and noticed that a crowd had formed; almost the whole school population had gathered to watch the unscheduled tennis session with the former regulars. Well, damn. Marui didn't think that he was going to be awful (he hadn't spared a single thought for that), but after the third years had graduated from the club and left all responsibility to the new captain (Kirihara), Marui was pretty sure that his stamina wasn't where it used to be.

Yagyuu was up first. Marui wonders if the Gentleman would complain about not being in proper attire for a vigorous exercise – playing a match with Kirihara more often than not made them lie splat out on the court at the end. Other than their resident three demons anyways. Yagyuu didn't, and the match started with the Gentleman's serve.

Marui turned to look at Niou who was leaning against the fence, away from the rest of the regulars who were squished up like sardines on the lone bench – all of them refused to give up their seat. Realising that he was staring, Marui quickly swirled his head around, strands of his hair whacked into Jackal's face and said boy started to cough. Jackal narrowed his eyes at Marui after his coughing fit and the latter sheepishly smiled at him.

"Mind your space," Jackal gritted through his teeth.

"One millimetre is _not_ much space."

"Stop turning around before I cut all your hair off then!"

"I don't want to be like you, baldy," Marui muttered, clearly taking offense.

Yukimura reached over Sanada and Yanagi, who both leaned forwards like they anticipated Yukimura's hand to fly across their backs, and hit the one closest to him – Jackal. "It's not polite to speak during a match."

"Those people at Seigaku do it all the time," Marui mumbled to Jackal, who rubbed his head, his elbow would have hit Yanagi but the data master avoided it before it could. Yukimura's hand reached across to hit Jackal over the head once more and Marui kept his mouth shut.

.~.

Marui sucked in much needed oxygen through his mouth and lay spread out like a starfish on the centre of the court. He _knew _that his stamina wasn't where it used to be. That was the only reason Marui felt the most suitable to explain him losing to Kirihara 3 – 6. He felt someone prod him on his side and Marui squinted his eyes against the glaring sun to see Jackal prodding him with his foot.

"Get off."

Marui groaned and closed his eyes, turning his head away. "Don't wanna…"

"You don't exactly _have_ a choice."

Marui swatted Jackal's foot away, and said, "Carry me." He heard Jackal snort above him. Marui groaned a few more times before pushing himself up into a sitting position, admitting defeat. "Fine. Be like that."

Jackal didn't bother waiting for him and Marui dragged his feet as he stalked off the court only to come face-to-chest with Niou. Marui _really_ hated being short. He mentally reminded himself to drink crate loads of milk once he reaches home.

"Great job getting your butt kicked out there," Niou smirked. Marui looked up and narrowed his eyes at him. Niou had one of Kirihara's spare rackets in his dominant hand (none of them brought their own), and was tapping it on his shoulder.

"I'm just a little rusty," Marui replied angrily. "Let's see _you_ do any better." Marui knew that Niou didn't practice much ever since they left the club. It was a challenge that he was willing to give the Trickster.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Damn right it is."

"What will I get in return?"

Marui pursed his lips. "Nothing." He wasn't afraid of losing, he didn't think he'd lose, but making any kind of bet with Niou was simply asking for a death wish. Marui spoke from experience.

"Hmmm," Niou hummed. "Not fun." He then went over to his position at Kirihara's call. Marui frowned and turned away.

He walked towards the bench that he previously sat on and his frown deepened. Five bodies occupied the bench – Yagyuu taking up the tiny bit of space he was at prior to the match. Deciding to be rational and not squeeze with the rest like an idiot, Marui leaned against the fence that was surrounding the courts and slid down onto the ground.

Marui fixed his eyes on Niou's movements on the court, the way he hit a drop shot, the way he used Yagyuu's Laser Beam, from the tip of his head all the way down to his toes. A strange, warm and fuzzy feeling bubbled inside Marui as he felt his cheeks get hot. He tried to move his gaze but found that he couldn't. The person known as Niou was too compelling, and it suddenly hit Marui.

Ah, crap. He couldn't be. That was just insane, and one-hundred percent impossible. When did this start? And how did he not know? Marui shook his head furiously. He was definitely _not_ in love with Niou. They _were_ going out in a sense… But that was just totally not, absolutely not possible. Marui's head started to spin. Besides, to Niou, dating Marui was just a game, wasn't it?

"Fuck this shit," Marui muttered, his mind an emotional muddle of mumbo-jumbo. He grabbed bunches of his hair in his hands and cried out, grabbing the attention of his friends on the bench. The rest of them merely gave him a moment of their time and returned to the match but Jackal gave him an inquisitive glance at Marui's peculiar actions, only to blink back in shock when Marui suddenly jumped and strode over to him and say, "Jackal. I'm going to need a cake. Make that _two_ ice-cream cakes."

As Marui walked away, leaving a floundering Jackal in his wake, he fished out a stick of gum in his pocket and dunked it into his open mouth, chewing furiously. Sugar always helped to stimulate his brain, and he was going to need _a lot_ of it.

* * *

**A/N: I _would_ have updated sooner but I _kinda_ got a little distracted. Plus, this chapter was unplanned. But I felt that the plot would have been rushed and like too fast so yeah, a little chappie here to make sure it uh slows down a bit (not really) or how to say, explain more things...Yeah, that's the words. **

**mcangel1976: **I can't think of anything worse than a cockroach! D: I dislike those creatures so much. Especially the ones that fly, oh my goodness! Okay, maybe spiders would be worse, but I don't know. I dislike a lot of those creepy-crawlies. And yeah, Marui thinks that Niou's just messing around with him. He just doesn't get it does he? -shakes head-

**Kagami Luna:** REALLY?! It was cute? O: Man, you've just made my day. Thank you sooo much!

**Thanks for the reviews! And uh, leave some more please? Haha. **


	7. Chapter 7

**~ Seven ~**

Niou wanted to go camping.

They couldn't travel, so Niou set up a tent in his living room. He dragged Marui with him, "I won the challenge", he had said, but it really wouldn't have mattered either way. The tent was cosy; they had blankets, pillows, teddy bears and a small portable television. Neither of them were interested in the programmes on the television, but they kept it there for the homely-feel.

"What's on your mind?"

Marui wrapped himself up in one of the blankets. It wasn't cold, but he liked the feeling of it. "About why I'm spending my Saturday in your house."

"But you don't hate it."

"You must be blind." Marui hid the twitch at the corner of his lips by burying his head in the woolly blanket.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not."

"You'd better go for a check-up." Marui lifted up his head and his eyes widened at the close distance between him and Niou, his heart nearly shooting out of his chest. "What are you doing?" Niou lifted up a finger and poked Marui's cheek. "W-what?" Marui furrowed his eyebrows.

"You're red."

"No I'm not!" Marui quickly shoved Niou away and covered his head with the blanket.

He could hear Niou laughing on the other side and a tiny smile rose up onto his face, one that disappeared within a few seconds.

"Marui~" Niou said in a teasing manner. The Trickster poked the figure wrapped up in the blue woolly blanket softly.

When there wasn't any response, he poked again. The figure shook and laughter erupted from underneath the material. Niou grinned his signature grin. He raised his fingers up in the air and wiggled them, before diving back down and poking Marui more aggressively this time. Marui yelped and the blanket dropped down onto the floor beside the rolling teenager.

"Niou! Stop it!" Marui said through laughter.

Niou didn't listen to his demand. "You're ticklish," he said instead. He barely avoided a kick to the face. "Woah."

Seems like Marui is prone to kicking when tickled.

"Seriously, stop it Niou!"

Niou started cackling like a wicked witch and continued to relentlessly attack the squirming boy. By the time Niou finally released Marui, Marui was panting and his face was flushed red from the lack of air and continuous laughter. Niou grinned wider and leaned over Marui, placing his hands on both sides of the red head.

"You look like we just had rough sex."

One would be able to imagine an animated vein popping on Marui's forehead when he balled his fist and punched Niou in the chest, however, a bit weak as he still hadn't recovered his energy.

"You punch like a girl," Niou commented, unmoving.

One side of Marui's lips twitched angrily and he lifted up his knee, hitting Niou hard in the place where men would like to keep intact, for the sake of future population growth – the balls. Niou, of course, like many other men would, recoiled immediately and groaned in pain. "Dammit," he swore.

Marui sat up and crossed his legs. "_That_, was for tickling me." He moved closer to the groaning Trickster and punched him in the chest again – harder this time. "And _that_, was for saying that I look like we had sex."

Then he slapped Niou across the cheek. They were all used to Sanada's daily bitch (Tarundoru) slap, sometimes not one, but multiple. However, Niou had to admit, _damn_, Marui could slap.

"And _that_, was for comparing me to a girl. Which of course, with all my manliness, deserve the most punishment. So…" Marui slapped Niou on the other cheek. "That makes it even." Marui crossed his arms and nodded, looking satisfied.

Niou removed his hands from his crotch and rubbed his cheeks, which were turning a nice reddish-pink colour, much like a medium-cooked steak. "Ouch. Didn't know that you were fond of abusive relationships."

Marui's eye twitched wildly; he should perhaps consult a doctor about it. "Sometimes you're just asking to be smacked."

"Kinky." Niou licked his lips seductively, his eyes held that mischievous glint.

Marui opened and closed his mouth like a flabbergasted goldfish before he closed his eyes with a sigh. He also placed his palm on his face; much like the well-known action, 'Facepalm'.

"You're unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Only for you."

"Shut up."

"I won't."

"You will," Marui huffed. "I'll make you."

Niou tilted his head teasingly. "How so?"

Marui shut his eyes and pretended that he was a witch by making his voice as croaky as he could and moving his hands in a circular motion as if stirring a broth in a cauldron. "By dumping you into this fiery, piping hot cauldron of – "

He never got to finish his sentence as lips covered his own and Marui's eyes sprung open. Niou pulled back with a cheeky grin, very much similar to his signature sly grin, if not for the visible row of teeth.

"Well, _I_ shut you up." Silence followed those few words and Niou seemed to be waiting for a particular type of reaction from the red head. When Marui did nothing, Niou asked, "You're not going to start swearing and going into bitch-mode?"

Marui shot a glare, which vanished within moments, at the Trickster. "I do _not_ go into bitch-mode. What the hell is that anyway? And why would I do such a thing?"

"You did exactly that the last time I kissed you."

"I was _not_ being bitchy," Marui folded his arms across his chest, turning away from Niou. "I was just angry, and anger does not equal to bitchiness. I know it's just a kiss and I overreacted and I've already apologised for it!"

"So you're saying that you won't get mad if I kiss you again?"

"Only because we're going out and that's what couples do right?" Marui seemed to be scrapping for excuses. He refused to look at Niou, lest the other boy realises something. "I'll just allow you to for now. Since you're just doing this for the fun of it. Nothing to overreact about kissing."

Niou won't know. He couldn't know. That was what Marui firmly thought to himself as Niou hummed and grabbed the blanket from the floor and wrapped it around the two of them, snuggling under the warmness.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, so I skipped the part where Marui rips his hair apart trying to sort out his feelings. I'm sorry? I didn't think that I would portray uh, whatever he would be feeling properly.  
**

**mcangel1976: **I know right! Who wouldn't fall in love with Niou? I know I would :D (I already do haha)

**Kagami Luna: **Yes, I know I know, I skipped the part (as written in my author's note). But at least he...realises it now? :D

**Thanks for reviewing! I love you two! :D Keep them coming? Am I asking too much? xD**


	8. Chapter 8

~ **Eight ~**

Marui let out a huge sigh as he sat down on one of the multiple wooden benches scattered around the park. Niou, had for some strange reason, decided to bring Marui to a park, where the latter was just sitting now, waiting for his _awesome_ (says Niou) boyfriend to return from God-knows-where.

Speak of the devil. His silver haired boyfriend came sauntering down with a bag of – was that _bread crumbs_ – in one hand, and two cones of ice-cream in the other. Marui slid a few inches to his left, allowing space for Niou to sit down beside him.

"What is that?" Marui queried, pointing his finger at the bag. Niou handed Marui one of the ice-cream cones – cookies and cream, his favourite – that was already melting and dripping down the cone and onto the back of his hand. "Gross! Why is this melting already?"

"Because of the sun, duh," Niou replied, licking his own ice-cream, "and these, are bread crumbs."

"Really? Because I _sooo_ can't tell that they are bread crumbs!" Marui rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, whilst licking his already sticky hand free from melting ice-cream. "I'm asking you what they are for, no shit."

"What? You asked me what they were, and I told you. Don't blame me for your ambiguous question."

"Only an idiot wouldn't know what I meant." Marui paused to have a bite at his ice-cream. "And that means you."

"So now I'm an idiot?"

"Apparently so." Marui nodded. Then he tilted his chin, gesturing at the object revolving around their entire conversation – the bag with bread crumbs. "Seriously. We're not going to be feeding pigeons in a fucking park on an awfully nice Friday afternoon, when I _finally_ get a rest from school, are we?"

"You hit that exactly right on the dot!" Niou exclaimed, chewing down to the last bits of his cone. How he ate that ice-cream so fast was beyond Marui. Having said that, Niou crushed the remaining cone that he had in his hands and flung the crumbs out in front of him.

"You just wasted the best bit!" Marui cried out, flabbergasted, as he watched the wild pigeons peck hungrily at the scattered food. He then swirled around to glare at Niou accusingly. "You're not human!"

Niou blinked innocently and looked curiously at his palms. Without a word, he placed them on his head and then to his shoulders, to knees and down to his toes (or tips of his shoes to be exact). "Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes," he said monotonously. "Mind you, but I can assure you that I'm one-hundred percent human."

"Nuh-uh." Marui wiggled his finger and shook his head. "A true human being wouldn't discard the most amazing, the most awesome, the most delicious part of an ice-cream."

"But a true human will let his ice-cream drop and melt on the floor?"

Marui raised his eyebrow at Niou's strange question. Niou gestured with his eyes and Marui swivelled around, gasping in horror at the sight of his lovely cookies and cream ice-cream transform into a puddle of mush. Crushing the now ice-cream-less cone in his hands, Marui copied Niou's previous actions and stood up, brushing his hands on his shorts. "I'm going to get a new one."

"Be my guest," Niou smirked, "Although, I must say. You've just displayed your true form, my non-human boyfriend."

Marui's jaw dropped and he asked, "The heck?"

Niou pointed at the crumbs lying on the floor, which disappeared into the beaks of the pigeons at an alarming rate. Realisation downed upon Marui and he shook his head vigorously, pointing back and forth at Niou and himself.

"This and that are different."

"Really now?"

"Number one: I'm getting a new cone, which means that I'll still be eating the best bit of the cone. Number two: You didn't. That's all."

"Your lack of valid reasons is amusing," Niou said. "Can't you think of something better?"

Heat rose up Marui's throat and to his cheeks. "Shut up," he muttered, for lack of a better comeback. "I'm getting my ice-cream," he announced, stomping off towards the direction of the music that the ice-cream truck was playing.

Niou watched Marui's back and chuckled to himself. He surprised himself when his hands brushed against the plastic bag that was left forgotten on the bench beside him. Reaching into it, Niou pulled out a few bits of bread crumbs and tossed them in front of him as he waited for Marui to return, already anticipating Marui to arrive with a delighted smile as he held onto his new cone. He stared at the crumb of bread that he was playing with in his fingers with his blue eyes; the surroundings suddenly became a lot quieter as he sunk deeper and deeper into his thoughts.

A small boy with scruffy hair, looking around the age of five, ran through the flock of pigeons pecking at the bread crumbs. The flapping of wings and loud cries of the birds jolted Niou out of his trance and the crumb of bread fell out of his fingers, and onto his jeans. Niou glanced at the direction where Marui disappeared off to; no sign of the red head.

Breathing deeply, Niou tossed his head back as he leaned against the backrest and squinted his eyes against the sun rays that managed to penetrate through the leaves that sheltered him. Another crumb of bread was in his fingers before he realised it. Niou pulled his head forwards and dunked the bread crumb into his mouth. A few seconds later, Niou was seen by Marui, who just happened to walk back with an additional ice-cream, to be sticking his tongue out in disgust.

"Stale."

* * *

**A/N: Updates will be on hold for a bit - got to focus on my exams. Yup. Exams. Again. **

**mcangel1976:** Hahaha, Marui should really trust Niou more shouldn't he? Thank you for your kind words :D

**Jem Juliette Jewels Jade: **Uh...I updated? xD

**Uh, from now on, reviews will be answered in PM. Yup :D Thanks for the reviews~**


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